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Well in that case I'd dig into my cash reserves because it wouldn't look as though I'll be around long enough to need it later if I'm that sick that young.

Ditto. By self-insuring, 60 years of savings made by not paying health insurance premiums will more than cover the $35.5K net of medicare rebates (ref: healthtopics.hcf.com.au/TotalHipReplacement.aspx to pay to get to the front of the cue in a private hospital for such an operation and recovery.

Just finished analysing my expenses for 2014. Core living expenses (amenities, groceries, transport, accommodation overheads, pets, medical and dental) for a household of four adults came in at $23K (net of $8K housekeeping contributions from our two adult children still living with us)...

I am very fortunate to receive a defined benefits pension from the time I spent in the ADF, which pays for all of the essentials to live. I also have my investments, split about 50/50 between non-super and super in mostly shares, which bumps me over the $58K income mark. Obviously I can only...

There's no rule that says you have to spend up to your income level as it rises through your career. Admittedly most people do, and then some, because that is what our consumerist society indoctrinates them to do. If you can do everything that sustains, not overindulges, you and makes you, not...

Well somebody has to keep on the hamster wheel to keep taxes coming in and profits flowing for the companies in which I have shares. Thanks for volunteering China! :D

That $6600 a month budget is a MMM forumite's, not MMM himself. MMM's last reported family annual spend was just a shade over $25K for 2013, per here: http://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2014/01/12/exposed-the-mmm-familys-2013-spending/

At last. Thanks! :D

It proves that your argument is nothing more than fluffy opinion whereas mine is based on facts.

And the point you are not getting (besides show us some evidence!) is that my experience, as a reasonably consistent and frugal consumer over the years, covers both countries over notable periods of time. It was not only noticeably cheaper living in the USA, I have 20 years worth of Quicken...

Oh, so your indirect anecdotal evidence is better than my direct experience and a couple of supporting web source links on the matter? :rolleyes: I think it is time you put up a bit of evidence. Can you therefore please post up some links of relevant posts from these USA blogs that make such...

So you haven't lived in the USA then? How do you know what the COL is there then?

Here's another COL comparison website that also shows Australia's relatively high COL compared to the USA: http://www.budgetdirect.com.au/costofliving/ Well, that is if you don't pick New York City, which is a well known COL outlier in the USA. In any case, even with our (arguably) higher COL...

On what basis do you make these statements? Have you lived in both countries for substantial periods of time, as I have, and therefore have relevant direct experience in such matters?

I think this is the data source to which sanj refers: http://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/compare_countries_result.jsp?country1=Australia&country2=United+States Having lived 7 years in the USA myself, I can attest to Australia's higher comparative COL.